Defending brothers, defending family
by Loveforthestory
Summary: Bass will follow his brother into anything. But watching Ben with a little Charlie asleep against his chest and not aware of what is going on between Miles and Rachel is so hard. They had happily followed her laughter through the house when play hide and seek. Bass smiles at the sight of Ben and his little girl, there at the table, the lights of the candles illuminating them both.


Defending brothers, defending family

The first time Bass watches his brother watch the blonde on the other side of the garden when Ben is drinking a cool beer with his back turned to both of them, he knows Rachel just ripped out a piece of Miles.

Ben had called them both while both Miles and him where on the road. Inviting them over to his home for food, cool beers and easy conversation in his back garden. Bass always had a good relationship with Ben and he had nodded yes when Miles had told him about the invitation with his phone in hand while music from the radio had been filling Miles' car.

If it meant a boys night with beers and food while they were on leave, well he was in. Ben had asked Miles to bring his guitar. And while Bass enjoyed cool beers and meeting with old friends, Miles had gotten his guitar in his hands and had started to play that guitar like only he could. Soft guitar music filled the garden. And Bass had seen it happen from his spot near the porch. Rachel walking up to Miles. Miles looking up from his guitar.

The second time he watches them is at Rachel's wedding. Marrying Ben Matheson. Standing shoulder to shoulder with Miles in church, but feeling a dark pit in his gut throughout that whole day.

Four years later and there is another dinner party in the Matheson garden in Chicago . And Bass sees it again. Stolen looks between his brother and her. And he knows exactly what the hell is going on between them. This is not some fucked up flirtation. His brother is lost deep into the woman that married his own damn brother.

He has never liked Rachel. She is too cool for him, to controlled in the way she lives her life. But he is making an effort. First out of respect for Ben, because he is family. He grew up with him in Jasper. He is making an effort. For Miles. For another brother.

And he will follow his brother into anything and any hell. But seeing Ben sitting around a table with Charlie asleep in his arms and her little body asleep against his chest and fucking not aware of what is going on between his wife and brother, sets something in his heart on edge.

Charlie has fallen asleep with her little head against Ben's chest after she had asked Ben, Miles and him over and over again to play hide and seek with her. They had happily followed her laughter through the house. Bass had to smile at seeing Ben and his little girl, there in the shadow of the large tree, the lights of candles on the dinner table illuminating her face.

It made what he had to do harder and easier at the same time. He walks to the kitchen for another beer.

Rachel is in the kitchen, cleaning up some plates and then moving some of Charlie's toys in the basket in the living room that had gotten lost in between the dinner plates and empty glasses of wine.

'Bass...' Rachel nods shortly at him, 'want another beer?'

'No, Rachel...' He swallows, he breathes in. Suddenly he knows he is not going to keep his mouth shut. He looks through the open door and watches the garden one more time with Ben and Miles drinking a whiskey now. Then he turns back to Rachel.

'Rachel, what the hell is going on between you and Miles?' His voice is low and serious.

Rachel looks up at him, a small stuffed bear that is one of Charlie's favourites in her hands. He sees those blue eyes of hers fill with shock and then it is being replaced with cool disdain. A small twitch around her lips and then a small tilt of her chin.

Bass feels nauseous, knowing right there and then he is right about the whole damn thing. Realizing they are forgetting Ben, in whatever it is they are doing.

'There is no me and Miles.. Bass.' She enunciates his name with a cool layer of ice.

Bass has trouble keeping a fucking bitter huff inside of his chest when he shakes his head. He swallows some tension out of his jaw. When he talks again his normally friendly smooth voice is sharper and darker.

'Really Rachel, so you are not only doing this behind Ben's back, but you are also going to lie about it?' There is irritation in his voice, but also honest disbelieve. The lines in his jaws are getting even sharper.

'I do not know what you talk about.'

Rachel grabs the stuffed bear with more force in her hands before she lets the bear fall into the basket on her right.

'I am talking about the people sitting out there around that table, Rachel. About Ben and Miles and Charlie. About family.'

'My life is none of your business Bass.'

Now Bass cannot hold back that bitter huff that he has been trying to keep inside of his chest. 'You walked into _my_ life the day you married Ben, Rachel. My life, _my_ family. ' He cannot keep the anger out of his words. He does not get pissed easily but her coolness is setting him on edge.

He reins in his emotions and remembers why he came here for. Not for that beer. For Ben. For Miles. For Charlie. For family. For what his father and mother had taught him about family.

'They are my family, my life ...' Bass nods to the garden, ' ...and Ben and Miles have practically been a part of my whole life.'

He sees the sting in her eyes for knowing how much of Miles he has with him, years she does not have with Ben or Miles. Years she will never get to have. But right now he does not care. He needs to get this out of his system.

'And I hate to see your and Miles' decisions hurting Ben or Charlie.'

Rachel just looks at him. Bass knows he is right and that she knows he is right. But there is no victory here. Only bitter secrets in the dark that are going to hurt so many people when this comes out.

'If you cannot do it for your husband Rachel, then think about your kid. She will grow up and she will understand this one day. Think about what it will mean for her huh?'

Miles walks through the open door, the sounds of the garden buzzing behind him. 'We are going to need a couple of more beers...'

He walks towards the fridge when he turns around, facing Bass and Rachel. 'Aaand what is going on over here?'

'Just needed a beer too man. We were just talking about Charlie and Ben.' He emphasises their names.

Bass walks over to Miles as he takes that beer. Ignoring Rachel's eyes that he feels burn into his back. Miles follows him outside as they sit down with Ben. Rachel does not follow both men outside as she stays in the kitchen for a long time, occupying her mind with chores after what truth Bass just moved into her kitchen and home.

Bass leans into his chair around the large table outside. The stars are bright above the large tree.

'So, how's life treating you these days, guys?' Ben asks with a smile and a drink in his hand. Bass grins at him when Miles starts a story that probably will involve some more booze.

He focuses again on the conversation between Ben and Miles. He puts the beer bottle against his lips. Charlie opens her sleepy small eyes and smiles at him. Then she falls asleep again, trusting the men and the world around her. Bass sighs and feels a burn of hurt to come in his damn heart. After tonight, nothing will be the same. But at least he has stepped up for _his_ family as he sits and drinks cool beers with Ben and Miles, _his_ brothers.

* * *

 **Author's Note I always wanted to write Bass with Ben and Miles. Bass is different before that blackout, but also still the same. Stepping up for family. I loved writing little Charlie with Ben into this story. I always wanted to show the coolness in the friendship between Rachel and Bass and where that came from. I wanted to show with this how Miles and Rachel's actions already were causing small changes within them all, themes we see later too in the episodes in a much rawer way because of the blackout and everything that happened because of that. Thanks for reading this piece ( for the Armada, prompt #36, Sometimes you forget) Love from Love**


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